


You are the sunlight

by palateens



Series: Out of Road [3]
Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, Implied/Referenced Transphobia, Light Angst, M/M, Trans Kent, Trans Male Character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-28
Updated: 2017-07-28
Packaged: 2018-12-07 22:13:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 525
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11632995
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/palateens/pseuds/palateens
Summary: “I’ve been fighting for a long time… and it’s turned me into..this.”





	You are the sunlight

**Author's Note:**

> originally prompted for dexrarepairweek

It’s one of those rare afternoons off that finds Dex playing Overwatch with Nursey. Remotely of course, because Nursey was down in New York procrastinating on editing an manuscript. Kent all but throws the front door open, unceremoniously dumps the groceries in front of the fridge, and drops his phone into Dex’s lap. He collapses into the armchair to the right of the couch, scrubbing his face harshly. 

“Hi to you too,” Dex chirps. 

“Not in the mood, William,” Kent groans. 

Kent never calls him by his first name. It’s enough to get him to pause the game and mumble a “be right back” to Nursey. 

“Why do I have your phone?”

“Because people are assholes,” Kent says. 

Dex eyes him warily. He unlocks the phone, which is already open to Twitter. There’s a massive thread about hockey players coming out because they’re not man enough to get a real woman. 

“Sorry, what did you do?”

“Almost came out on Twitter just to say— y’know — fuck you. I’d love to know what your definition of ‘real woman’ is, you fucking transphobe.” 

“But you didn’t?” Dex asks slowly. 

“Nope,” Kent says with an emphasis on the p. “Did not, in fact, out myself today out of spite.” 

“That’s good.” He nods. 

Kent snorts, throwing his arms over his face. Dex reads through the thread again. Both thankful that Kent didn’t do anything to put himself in danger, and pissed that he even had to look it in the first place. 

“So what’s the problem?” he asks after Kent’s had some time to calm down. 

“I don’t know.” Kent sighs. “My first instinct was to cause a shit storm. And I didn’t — yay? But it was still there, that fucking knee-jerk reaction to start a fight before they get me.”

“Who’s they?” 

Kent waves him off.  “I’ve been fighting for a long time… and it’s turned me into..  _this.”_ He gestures vaguely to himself. “This — neurotic mess, who’s always on edge. You know I almost kicked some people out yesterday because they wouldn’t stop asking why the bathroom signs are so weird?”

Bitty and Kent had special ordered some bathroom signs with mythical creatures on them that said “whatever, just wash your hands.” 

Dex shrugs, offering a hug that Kent quickly gets up to accept. He’s sitting in Dex’s lap, clinging in every way imaginable. It’s nice, Dex thinks as he squeezes back. Maybe he can’t fight Kent’s battles for him (Kent would hate that anyway). But if he could be there at the end of the day to make things a little better, it was worth it. 

“You’re allowed to refuse service to anyone,” Dex mutters. “You can block people on Twitter. I know it sucks sometimes, and you can come out whenever you  want —”  

“But…” Kent prompts. 

“But maybe you aren’t ready,” Dex supplies. “Maybe you don’t ever have to be ready. It’s not about them, it’s about you being yourself. Fuck the rest of the world, they don’t deserve you.” 

Kent chuckles, leaning back to kiss Dex on the cheek. “Maybe you’re right. Thanks, baby.” 

Dex feels his lip twitch softly. “Anything for you.”  

**Author's Note:**

> fic title - lyrics from The Sunshine by Manchester Orchestra


End file.
